MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — This Black History Month, people can learn about Murfreesboro’s once-thriving Black business district thanks to a new display.
The sounds and sights of Murfreesboro’s downtown square today offer minor hints of what Mary Watkins remembers from her teens.
“I am from Rutherford County – been here all my life,” Watkins said. “I lived in the country — I guess I was about 13 and it’s nine of us. My oldest siblings would come. They used to talk about the Mink Slide. Oh I couldn’t wait ’til I got old enough.”
Between the mid-1800’s and the 1970’s African Americans frequented Black-owned businesses in the vicinity of Vine Street and South Maple Street.
“Families would be here. They would go into the Black business establishments, buy burgers, all that kind of stuff had pool halls here,” said Watkins.
She’s since passed on her title as President of the African American Heritage Society of Rutherford County. But it wasn’t before they unveiled a plaque on a building paying homage to the Black Business District.
“The young generation and the generations to come need to know whose shoulders they’re standing on,” said Watkins.
She explained that during their research, it was difficult to find photos of those establishments. There were grocery and mercantile stores, doctors and dental offices and a funeral home.
“The Scales funeral home – still exists today. Their funeral home was up here,” said Watkins. “I used to have to walk from MTSU come here to catch my ride and stuff but on the weekend Fridays and Saturdays it was just a gathering place for African Americas to get together and just celebrate each other.”
It was right near an area many Black residents called home known as “The Bottoms.”
“They called it the bottoms because it would flood, not only Black but there was white people that lived there, poor white and Black people,” said Watkins.
The businesses served both Black and white clientele.
“This was it for us (Black people), because we couldn’t go at that time to a lot of other establishments and sit down and eat even though if you could go to a store and buy something but then you couldn’t sit down,” she said. “Here we were at home.”
Those Black businesses slowly dissolved over time. As the plaque read, it was due to urban renewal and gentrification.
“I know when desegration came in and I know that’s why they closed because we no longer had to just come here. We had the opportunity to go where we wanted to go.”
Though the district is gone, its impact is not forgotten as the community came together for a permanent reminder. The owner of the building where that plaque has been placed allowed the African American Heritage Society to place it on their property.
“She just up and called and said Mary you all can put this on my house if you all would like.”
Main Street Murfreesboro, celebrating its 40th year, paid for the plaque.
“We’re all about the preservation of historic downtown and that means telling the stories from downtown’s past,” said Sarah Callender, executive director of Main Street Murfreesboro. “I think the importance is remembering the stories from the past, learning from mistakes of the past and celebrating those people like she said who we stand on their shoulders.”
There are over 800 businesses in downtown Murfreesboro’s 30 block radius.
“We have currently some very strong Black owned businesses that are in the historic downtown. Not all of them are on the public square,” said Callender.
She says main street murfreesboro can help small business owners get the support they need to make a mark today and for years to come.
“I want the young people to realize what difference they can make. It can happen to them as well,” said Watkins.
They’re encouraging anyone with photos of Murfreesboro’s Black Business District to contact the AAHSRC.
